The primary role of food labels has been to provide information to the consumers, avoid confusion and protect consumers against misuses, risks and abuses. In addition, the role of food labels was to help selling products. However, over time the objectives have become more numerous and more complex under the influence of various pressure groups such as food companies, retail groups, public authorities, and consumer organisations. (2)
Food labelling legislation in the EU began with Council Directive 79/112/EEC relating to the labeling, presentation and advertising of foodstuffs.It has been made more detailed, more informative and also more complicated by Council Directive 2000/13/EC and its amendment 2003/89/ EC. 1) Ultimately, the national laws are harmonized within the European Community to ensure free circulation of goods and fair trade, implying also to food (2) and to eliminate trade restrictions.
The EU nutrition labeling directive and the European ‘‘horizontal’’ and ‘‘vertical’’ Regulations and Directives detail the statutory (mandatory)information required on food label. The ‘‘horizontal’’ rules applying to all foods (mainly pre-packaged foodstuffs for the ultimate consumer or for supply to caterers), and ‘‘vertical’’ defining the name and composition of specific products. In addition, there is a possibility for voluntary label information, including quality and origin labeling, and organic production and labeling rules for novel foods and for genetically modified foods. (2)
As Article 3 states, in EU nutrition labeling, indicated must be the name of the product, the list of ingredients, the quantity of certain ingredients under special conditions, the net quantity in the case of prepackaged foods, the date of minimum durability, special storage conditions or conditions of use, the name and address of the manufacturer, the place of origin, instructions for use, and the alcohol content if this content is more than 1.2% by volume in beverages. (Article 3) (1)
The nutrition labeling was initially created for the details introduced before. To take a look at the functionality of the food labeling in praxis, a study conducted in a Spanish city revealed that individuals who suffer some health problems related to food intake are more knowledgeable about nutritional labels. Further, those who are more knowledgeable about nutritional labels are more likely to use nutritional labels, and nutritional label users are more likely to consider mandatory nutritional labeling as beneficial. (3)
Furthermore, for a consumer interested in the product from an ethical perspective i.e. ethical consumerism, nutritional labeling may be found helpful, also to find information about the origin of the product when considering ethical supply chain of the product or sustainable food production.
The involvement of pressure groups is presented in a video below, in which Ms Ilaria Passarani, representing The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) explaines how the European nutrition labelling regulation is affecting consumers.
euronews - New EU food labelling rules - utalk EU moves to help consumers be sure about the food they buy come under scrutiny in this edition of Utalk. The question is from Ivan in Sofia: "Recently new EU rules on food labelling entered into force. Could you please tell us what's new for consumers and do you reckon that they are really better protected now?"
Critique
Today there is a plenitude of food labels available for consumers ranging from safety and nutrition to characteristics, geographic origin and organic status. The list can be added by eco-labels, GMO-labels and so forth. Although the many labellings can be justified based on food safety and other risks, it is to be reminded the mandatory labelling creates added bureaucracy as regulators need to monitor all processes and additionally, in certain cases labelling can create obstacles for doing business by adding costs for the producer. (7, 8) Furthermore, from a corporate perspective what is critical is their benefits and costs from improvements in food safety and and nutrition. (8)
Relation to UN Sustainable Development Goals
EU food policy regarding nutritional labelling is closely linked to SDG 2 'Zero hunger'.
Within this goal, the last sub-target states as an aim to "adopt measures to ensure the proper functioning of food commodity markets and their derivatives and facilitate timely access to market information, including on food reserves, in order to help limit extreme food price volatility" to which harmonised food policy within EU, including nutritional labelling, also aims at. (2)
EU food policy regarding nutritional labelling is also linked to SDG 3 Good health and well-being . It is today widely discussed that nutrition and diet may play a significant role in our health and overall well-being. The ultimate aim of labelling is to provide information to the customers (2) and help them in their decision-making process regarding their own aims. In addition, especially allergens may be life threthening. Today, within the EU also the contain of allergens must be stated within nutritional labelling to improver consumer safety.
The additional labelling information on allergens is further illustrated in BBC Breakfast clip, in which the new regulation is clarified to consumers. As EU nutritional labelling policies is a highly political issue, with several intrest groups affecting the decision-making (2), the second clip illustrates the view of MEP Glenis Willmott (S&D) on the topic ahead of the European Parliament voting.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsRZTJ6zyX0
8.12.2014 BBC Breakfast - Food Labelling Regulations (Allergy UK) One of our lovely case studies, Ruth, shares her thoughts on how the new food labelling regulations should make her life easier when it comes to eating out and shopping for food.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yA7bLiaHiOA 15.4.2011
European Parliament (Socialists and Democrats) - Food labelling: for a front-of-pack nutritional labelling on food products
Ahead of a crucial vote next week on the food labelling, Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament are battling for salt, sugar, fat and saturated fat to be included on the front of the packaging. Interview with S&D MEP, Glenis Willmott.
Relation to corporate praxis
Within EU all private corporations must follow the EU food labelling legislation. Practically any food related good that can be found within supermarkets in Finland is having a nutritional labelling on it. To some extent it may be assumed that the consumers are so used to having the information available, that appreciation towards all the information available has perhaps decreased. However, if the information was missing, the consumers would probably notice it quickly. It is notable that some small scale producers do sell their products without nutritional labelling. Further investigation on EU legislation on nutritional labelling would be needed to find out the restrictions and/or releases of mandatory information on small scale producers/production.
Although it is discussed whether nutritional labelling is causing additional costs on corporates, it is also argued that food companies can laso benefit from assuring higher quality and attain a better reputation within consumers. (8)
Examples from Finland
Front-of-pack nutrition icons on products with relatively favourable product compositions have been introduced in some countries to help consumers make healthier choices. (4)
One example of nutrition labelling and its implications on Finnish consumers is the labelling of high-salt products. Due to e.g. systematic education and previously mandatory nutritional labelling of high-salt products in Finland, salt intake has decreased in Finland since the late 1970s. It has been discussed that nutritional labelling has been found as a helpful tool in guiding consumers to choose products with less salt. Also, due to the national labelling requirements, many of the high-salt products disappeared from the markets as consumers turned into less salt products, whose production and output has increased. And although the labelling is no longer mandatory, many manufactures has kept the labelling voluntarily. (5)
In 2000 the Heart Symbol was developed for Finnish consumers and launched jointly by the Finnish Heart Association (FHA) and the Finnish Diabetes Association (FDA). The Heart Symbol illustrates that the product is a better choice in its product group regarding fat (quantity and quality), sodium and in some product groups sugar and fibre. In a Finnish study it was found that awareness of the Heart Symbol has increased over the years to reach as high awareness as 91% for females (66% for men) in 2009. (6)
Examples of Finnish nutritional labelling in prepacked food Photos: courtesy of the author
Video interview with Goodio COO Jussi Salonen about nutritional labelling
In this video COO Jussi Salonen tells about Goodio, a small Finnish company producing quality chocolate, and its operations in international markets. Jussi illustrates by examples about how to face the challenges of nutritional labelling in foreign markets and introduces the many delicious chocolate flavours of Goodio.
1) H. Przyrembel, 2004, 'Food labelling legislation in the EU and consumers information', Trends in Food Science & Technology, vol. 15, pp. 360–365
2) Cheftel, J. Claude, 2005, ‘Food and nutrition labelling in the European Union’, Food Chemistry, vol. 93, Issue 3, pp. 531–550
3) Gracia, A, Loureiro, M, Nayga R. Jr. 2006, 'Do consumers perceive benefits from the implementation of a EU mandatory nutritional labelling program?', Food Policy, vol. 32, pp. 160–174
4) Vyth EL, Steenhuis IH, Vlot JA et al. (2010) Actual use of a front-of-pack nutrition logo in the supermarket: consumers’ motives in food choice. Public Health Nutr 13, 1882–1889
5) Pietinen, P, Valsta, L, Hirvonen, T & Sinkko, H, 2007, ‘Labelling the salt content in foods: a useful tool in reducing sodium intake in Finland’, Public Health Nutrition, vol 11, no. 4, pp. 335–340
6) Lahti-Koski, M, Helakorpi, S, Olli, M, Vartiainen, E, Puska, P, 2011, ‘Awareness and use of the Heart Symbol by Finnish consumers’, Public Health Nutrition, vol. 15, no. 3, pp. 476–482
7) Crespi, J, Marette, S, 2003, Some Economic Implications of Public Labeling, Journal of Food Distribution Research, vol. 34, no.3, pp. 83-94
8) Caswell, J, 1998, Valuing the benefits and costs of improved food safety and nutrition, The Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, vol. 44 no. 4, pp. 409-424
Definition
The primary role of food labels has been to provide information to the consumers, avoid confusion and protect consumers against misuses, risks and abuses. In addition, the role of food labels was to help selling products. However, over time the objectives have become more numerous and more complex under the influence of various pressure groups such as food companies, retail groups, public authorities, and consumer organisations. (2)
Food labelling legislation in the EU began with Council Directive 79/112/EEC relating to the labeling, presentation and advertising of foodstuffs.It has been made more detailed, more informative and also more complicated by Council Directive 2000/13/EC and its amendment 2003/89/ EC. 1)
Ultimately, the national laws are harmonized within the European Community to ensure free circulation of goods and fair trade, implying also to food (2) and to eliminate trade restrictions.
The EU nutrition labeling directive and the European ‘‘horizontal’’ and ‘‘vertical’’ Regulations and Directives detail the statutory (mandatory)information required on food label. The ‘‘horizontal’’ rules applying to all foods (mainly pre-packaged foodstuffs for the ultimate consumer or for supply to caterers), and ‘‘vertical’’ defining the name and composition of specific products. In addition, there is a possibility for voluntary label information, including quality and origin labeling, and organic production and labeling rules for novel foods and for genetically modified foods. (2)
As Article 3 states, in EU nutrition labeling, indicated must be the name of the product, the list of ingredients, the quantity of certain ingredients under special conditions, the net quantity in the case of prepackaged foods, the date of minimum durability, special storage conditions or conditions of use, the name and address of the manufacturer, the place of origin, instructions for use, and the alcohol content if this content is more than 1.2% by volume in beverages. (Article 3) (1)
The nutrition labeling was initially created for the details introduced before. To take a look at the functionality of the food labeling in praxis, a study conducted in a Spanish city revealed that individuals who suffer some health problems related to food intake are more knowledgeable about nutritional labels. Further, those who are more knowledgeable about nutritional labels are more likely to use nutritional labels, and nutritional label users are more likely to consider mandatory nutritional labeling as beneficial. (3)
Furthermore, for a consumer interested in the product from an ethical perspective i.e. ethical consumerism, nutritional labeling may be found helpful, also to find information about the origin of the product when considering ethical supply chain of the product or sustainable food production.
The involvement of pressure groups is presented in a video below, in which Ms Ilaria Passarani, representing The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) explaines how the European nutrition labelling regulation is affecting consumers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lF890gwvVVw
19.12.2014
euronews - New EU food labelling rules - utalk
EU moves to help consumers be sure about the food they buy come under scrutiny in this edition of Utalk. The question is from Ivan in Sofia: "Recently new EU rules on food labelling entered into force. Could you please tell us what's new for consumers and do you reckon that they are really better protected now?"
Critique
Today there is a plenitude of food labels available for consumers ranging from safety and nutrition to characteristics, geographic origin and organic status. The list can be added by eco-labels, GMO-labels and so forth. Although the many labellings can be justified based on food safety and other risks, it is to be reminded the mandatory labelling creates added bureaucracy as regulators need to monitor all processes and additionally, in certain cases labelling can create obstacles for doing business by adding costs for the producer. (7, 8) Furthermore, from a corporate perspective what is critical is their benefits and costs from improvements in food safety and and nutrition. (8)
Relation to UN Sustainable Development Goals
EU food policy regarding nutritional labelling is closely linked to SDG 2 'Zero hunger'.
Within this goal, the last sub-target states as an aim to "adopt measures to ensure the proper functioning of food commodity markets and their derivatives and facilitate timely access to market information, including on food reserves, in order to help limit extreme food price volatility" to which harmonised food policy within EU, including nutritional labelling, also aims at. (2)
EU food policy regarding nutritional labelling is also linked to SDG 3 Good health and well-being . It is today widely discussed that nutrition and diet may play a significant role in our health and overall well-being. The ultimate aim of labelling is to provide information to the customers (2) and help them in their decision-making process regarding their own aims. In addition, especially allergens may be life threthening. Today, within the EU also the contain of allergens must be stated within nutritional labelling to improver consumer safety.
The additional labelling information on allergens is further illustrated in BBC Breakfast clip, in which the new regulation is clarified to consumers. As EU nutritional labelling policies is a highly political issue, with several intrest groups affecting the decision-making (2), the second clip illustrates the view of MEP Glenis Willmott (S&D) on the topic ahead of the European Parliament voting.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsRZTJ6zyX0
8.12.2014
BBC Breakfast - Food Labelling Regulations (Allergy UK)
One of our lovely case studies, Ruth, shares her thoughts on how the new food labelling regulations should make her life easier when it comes to eating out and shopping for food.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yA7bLiaHiOA
15.4.2011
European Parliament (Socialists and Democrats) - Food labelling: for a front-of-pack nutritional labelling on food products
Ahead of a crucial vote next week on the food labelling, Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament are battling for salt, sugar, fat and saturated fat to be included on the front of the packaging. Interview with S&D MEP, Glenis Willmott.
Relation to corporate praxis
Within EU all private corporations must follow the EU food labelling legislation. Practically any food related good that can be found within supermarkets in Finland is having a nutritional labelling on it. To some extent it may be assumed that the consumers are so used to having the information available, that appreciation towards all the information available has perhaps decreased. However, if the information was missing, the consumers would probably notice it quickly. It is notable that some small scale producers do sell their products without nutritional labelling. Further investigation on EU legislation on nutritional labelling would be needed to find out the restrictions and/or releases of mandatory information on small scale producers/production.
Although it is discussed whether nutritional labelling is causing additional costs on corporates, it is also argued that food companies can laso benefit from assuring higher quality and attain a better reputation within consumers. (8)
Examples from Finland
Front-of-pack nutrition icons on products with relatively favourable product compositions have been introduced in some countries to help consumers make healthier choices. (4)
One example of nutrition labelling and its implications on Finnish consumers is the labelling of high-salt products. Due to e.g. systematic education and previously mandatory nutritional labelling of high-salt products in Finland, salt intake has decreased in Finland since the late 1970s. It has been discussed that nutritional labelling has been found as a helpful tool in guiding consumers to choose products with less salt. Also, due to the national labelling requirements, many of the high-salt products disappeared from the markets as consumers turned into less salt products, whose production and output has increased. And although the labelling is no longer mandatory, many manufactures has kept the labelling voluntarily. (5)
In 2000 the Heart Symbol was developed for Finnish consumers and launched jointly by the Finnish Heart Association (FHA) and the Finnish
Diabetes Association (FDA). The Heart Symbol illustrates that the product is a better choice in its product group regarding fat (quantity and quality), sodium and in some product groups sugar and fibre. In a Finnish study it was found that awareness of the Heart Symbol has increased over the years to reach as high awareness as 91% for females (66% for men) in 2009. (6)
Examples of Finnish nutritional labelling in prepacked food
Photos: courtesy of the author
Video interview with Goodio COO Jussi Salonen about nutritional labelling
In this video COO Jussi Salonen tells about Goodio, a small Finnish company producing quality chocolate, and its operations in international markets. Jussi illustrates by examples about how to face the challenges of nutritional labelling in foreign markets and introduces the many delicious chocolate flavours of Goodio.
Quiz / Nutritional labelling
Quiz created by Satu V with GoConqr
References
1) H. Przyrembel, 2004, 'Food labelling legislation in the EU and consumers information', Trends in Food Science & Technology, vol. 15, pp. 360–365
2) Cheftel, J. Claude, 2005, ‘Food and nutrition labelling in the European Union’, Food Chemistry, vol. 93, Issue 3, pp. 531–550
3) Gracia, A, Loureiro, M, Nayga R. Jr. 2006, 'Do consumers perceive benefits from the implementation of a EU mandatory nutritional labelling program?', Food Policy, vol. 32, pp. 160–174
4) Vyth EL, Steenhuis IH, Vlot JA et al. (2010) Actual use of a front-of-pack nutrition logo in the supermarket: consumers’ motives in food choice. Public Health Nutr 13, 1882–1889
5) Pietinen, P, Valsta, L, Hirvonen, T & Sinkko, H, 2007, ‘Labelling the salt content in foods: a useful tool in reducing sodium intake in Finland’, Public Health Nutrition, vol 11, no. 4, pp. 335–340
6) Lahti-Koski, M, Helakorpi, S, Olli, M, Vartiainen, E, Puska, P, 2011, ‘Awareness and use of the Heart Symbol by Finnish consumers’, Public Health Nutrition, vol. 15, no. 3, pp. 476–482
7) Crespi, J, Marette, S, 2003, Some Economic Implications of Public Labeling, Journal of Food Distribution Research, vol. 34, no.3, pp. 83-94
8) Caswell, J, 1998, Valuing the benefits and costs of improved food safety and nutrition, The Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, vol. 44 no. 4, pp. 409-424